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by Chris Korman | Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 8:11 pm UTC
Indiana’s players and head coach Kelvin Sampson were in a jovial mood today, especially given the fact they’re midway through a brutal stretch of four tough games in 10 days.
Sampson wants no part of going on the road to Connecticut during this time of year. He’d much rather have his team back in Bloomington Saturday, practicing a few hours to get better for down the line.
The players love to play, of course. Earl Calloway said they want to get revenge for losing to the Huskies last year.
Here are a few notes from today’s session.
Most interesting quote: “I think the best coaches coach with one eye open and one ear closed. You don’t sit there and try to see everything wrong or hear everything that’s being said. I don’t do that. I don’t do that in any phase of my life because if I did, all I would do is correct people, and I can’t function like that.”
Best use of honesty: Rod Wilmont
Check out the following exchange between Wilmont and Steve Warden of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.
SW: Have you gotten a bad rep for your shot-selection?
RW: Who?
SW: You.
RW: On the team?
SW: Yeah.
RW: No.
SW: You think it’s warranted?
RW: Yes.
Wilmont later said he believes he’s open for a shot 95 percent of the time. The other five percent he tries to give the ball to D.J. White.
We’ll have more coverage in Friday’s Herald-Times.
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There is no doubt that we need Wilmont on the floor.
But I do wish he’d dish out some assists on occasion.
I would think the other players would have a problem
with knowing he’ll shoot if he has the ball, even if they
are open.
But he is indispensable of late!
Yeah, he better be hitting most of his shots if he’s gonna continue shooting the way he did. The worst thing about his quick shots when he misses badly is that it can start the opponents’ fast-break, which would be terrible against UConn.
But I love his confidence and energy.
Here’s to cheering the Hoosiers to a road victory tomorrow!
Even if it’s just in front of the TV.
i like wilmont’s shots no matter if they’re good or bad…the more times he puts it up, the higher the chance he gets on one of his rolls and goes for 25-30 (i.e. penn state)
the less times he puts it up, the more he looks disinterested in the offense and stands around the 3 point line (no back door cuts)
but, no matter how many shots he takes, he’s always playing hard on d – in the passing lanes, off the glass – the type of guy you don’t want to guard you in a rec-league game
i just wish mike davis would’ve let wilmont play like this in his first few years instead of him just now getting the confidence to finally do it…just think of what he’d be if he had 3 years of refining his shot selection. i’m thinking a 18-20 ppg type of guy – every night, not just 1 night in 3 or 4.
Wilmont better bring his A game against the Huskies…
This is the first time the team has come up against a traditional frontline of 7’3″ 6’9″ and 6’7″ . This will be a challenge!
It’s not like Wilmont got the this point overnight. He wasn’t as consistent of a shooter when he arrived on campus, but that steadily improved. His shot selection has always been like it is now…he has a shooter/scorer mentality that is good and bad. He is never going to be dishing out 5-10 assists in a game because he isn’t a very good passer or ball handler. He can occasionally take it to the rack but more likely to catch and knock down a long range bomb.
I think where Wilmont helps more than anything is his overall intensity on the court. He brings a swagger on the defensive end as well. He is a big reason why we are having the type of season we’ve had thus far.